Fiat dropped a product onslaught at the LA show, revealing two variants of the 500L, and an Abarth version of the 500C, so I can better sunburn my enormous bald spot.

But since you already know what the 500C looks like, let’s focus on the Fiat 500L. All three cars share the Abarth’s 160 horsepower 1.4L turbo engine. The 500L will be available in standard trim or as a pseudo-crossover known as the “Trekking” (shown above). Despite sounding horribly lame, the Trekking isn’t that distinguishable from the standard 500, and the visual changes are minimal. The 500L will launch in mid-2013, with pricing announced closer to launch.

At least there will be a choice between the normal or plasticlad look; for a few hours I was worried the 500L would only be made available in this country in bulked-up guise. I like the Trekking’s wheels but I like the smoother L’s looks more; I can already envision a decent secondary market for Trekking customers who wish to fit aftermarket wheels and want to ameliorate the cost of that choice by selling to a bling-obsessed 500 fan.

I would enjoy seeing the XL available here upon request; there have been enough calls on this site for compact 3-row vehicles for it to have viability in the new automotive landscape.